Battles
by SarissaDiablo
Summary: Some battles are physical, some are mental. No one knows this better then Cloud Strife. Wolfish Ways Series.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, another long one. I apologize! This series started out as being one shots, and I ended up getting really interested in it. Um, I hope this lives up to the standards! **

**Summary: Some battles are physical, some are mental. No one knows that better then Cloud Strife.**

* * *

He leaned into her silky fur, and whispered one word into her ear, "Battle."

The change was instant. She sat down, her ears perked forward as her ice blue eyes remained steady on him. They were in the storage room in the basement, where the extra guns, armor, and weapons were stored for the SOLDIER's and Army troops. Cloud was leading a mission to free a village south of North Corel, in a small valley over the mountains from Nibelheim. The whole mission was to back up the 20 odd 2nd's that were watching the place, kill the rebels, and free the town. It was a simple two or three day trip.

Cloud smiled slightly, and one of her ears twitched. He simply pointed to the floor as he walked away to get her armor, and as he hefted it and turned, she was laying down, her eyes still watching his every move. She would continue to do that unless they were actually in battle, or he gave her a different command. He frowned down at one of the items in his hands as he walked back towards her, wondering if she would even need the metal caps he had commissioned for her fangs. He looked up, and shook his head in rueful amusement. She had her mouth open, lips peeled back from her teeth so they could be put on. He never would have thought of something like that, until Jaz proved exactly how smart she really was.

-x-x-x-x-

_He had been sitting on the couch with Zack's head resting in his lap, the two of them watching TV, when something had dropped onto Zack's chest from behind._

"_What the…" he muttered, and picked up the spoon, looking behind the couch to see Jaz staring pointedly at the TV. "Jaz, what the hell…" He trailed off when she growled at him, fixing her attention once again on the screen. He looked, and frowned when he saw the tail end of a commercial for dentures. Raising an eyebrow, he looked down at Zack, who was trying not to laugh, and then back at the wolf._

"_What, you need new teeth?" he joked, and then blinked in surprise when she grinned happily, panting, and her tail wagging as fast as she could get it to go. _

"_Jaz, you don't need new teeth," he said firmly, and she growled with what suspiciously sounded like frustration. She gently took the spoon from his hand, as Zack watched with laughter dancing in his eyes. She set it down on the back of the couch, then looked him dead in the eye. Slowly she lifted her lips, revealing her formidable fangs, then glanced down to the spoon, then the TV, then back to Cloud. He frowned in confusion._

"_I don't get it," he muttered, and she whined. He watched in fascination as she disappeared up the stairs. Shrieking started coming from Jenova, and Zack finally sat up, as Jaz carefully came down the stairs, with the puzzle blade cradled in her mouth. She walked back over to the couch, and set the blade down on top of the spoon. _

I don't know what you want from me canine,_ Jenova sneered. _But you're barking up the wrong-_ She screeched when the wolf grabbed the blade, lifted it into the air, and then threw it down to the floor with all her might. Cloud and Zack only watched in open mouthed shock, as Jenova started spitting curses. She shut up quickly though when Jaz growled very low in her throat, staring down at the blade._

"_Jenova, she can hear you?" Zack asked, ignoring the sulky attitude of the alien woman._

Yea, she can hear me. All the times that she's licked your wounds, Cloud, she got enough of my cells in her to make it possible_, she said in a pouty voice._

"_So what does she want?" Cloud asked, and frowned when Jenova perked up slightly. She only did that when it had to do with sex, blood, or weapons._

She wants metal teeth,_ Jenova purred, and gave him a mental image of what she was talking about. He blinked at the wolf._

"_Jaz, I don't think-" he began, before swallowing his words when she snarled at him. He held up his hands in surrender._

"_Fine, fine. We'll go tomorrow and see about getting some commissioned, k?" She started to pant happily at him, and he sighed. "Go put the blade back, please." She did as she was asked, and when her furry form disappeared up the stairs, he turned to Zack with bewildered eyes. His fellow 1__st__ only shook his head._

"_I didn't know either, Sunshine," Zack said, before lying his head back down and turning his attention back to the screen. Cloud did as well, but he couldn't help but berate himself on not noticing how intelligent his wolf was._

-x-x-x-x-

Sighing, Cloud went about fitting the armor onto her form, with Ifrit watching with a clear look of longing in his bright yellow eyes. He would take the black wolf with him, but Ifrit wasn't trained to the level that he needed to be. Jaz followed his orders without question, or letting anything else distract her. Ifrit…well, he had more of a puppy mindset then Jaz did. He got distracted very easily, which was odd, considering that he had attached himself to Vincent.

The noises of the men in the room with them faded away from his mind, as he concentrated on making sure the leather straps and pieces of metal were snug around her form. She had a helmet type thing, that covered her nose, head, and neck. Then there was the chest plate, that attached to the bigger plate armor that was on her back. Her stomach and ribs were also guarded by plates, as was her hips. The only things that weren't covered with armor were her tail, legs, and the underside of her jaw. She knew all her vulnerable parts though, and rarely came back with anything worse then a superficial wound on the exposed parts. Then there were her weapons.

With her request, he had gotten the teeth commissioned, and made sure that she was there for every fitting. It was absurdly easy to know when she didn't like the fit. She would merely stand there, her mouth hanging open, waiting for one of them to take them back off. If she liked them, but wanted to make sure, she would go to the hunk of meat that they always brought along, and tear into it. If she didn't like it, she'd come back, and leave her mouth open. The actual canine teeth were sharpened to a razors edge, and it had sent a thrill of fear down his spine when he saw how easily they tore through flesh and bone. She didn't really need the metal teeth, but they were more to protect her sensitive gums from the armor and weapons of the enemy then anything else. Then came her paws.

Vincent had actually been the one to come up with the new design of the metal claws. The ones they had before were serviceable, but she had a hard time running and doing some of the acrobatics that was required of her in battle. The new ones didn't get in the way at all, since they were made up of many smaller plates that flexed with her paws. They strapped underneath, and she used them more effectively then a lot of SOLDIER's used their weapons.

He finished strapping everything in, and stepped back. He eyed her critically, before spinning his hand in the air. She obliged, and rose to her feet, moving her body in every which way she could. It took about five minutes, but when she was done, she sat back down, and trained her eyes back on him. Ifrit walked up to her, nipping at the metal of her throat, but she ignored him, starting to pant slightly. Cloud shoved Ifrit out of the way, ignoring the menacing growl, and inserted three orbs of materia into the collar made specifically for them. Closing his eyes, he concentrated for only a moment, the three orbs bursting into life as he activated them. With a deft mental twist, he linked the materia with her energy, a trick he had learned from Jenova. His wolf, being born in Nibelheim, had a natural reservoir of mako in her system. He only had to transfer the command of the materia over to this mako, and he didn't have to worry about maintaining it. The only problem was, since she didn't know how to actually use the materia, they constantly were running the spells, which meant it was a constant drain on her energy. He had only chose Shell, Protect, and Haste, all spells that didn't require much energy. He equipped the same three orbs into an armlet around his upper right arm, but didn't activate them. It was an hour ride to the boat, then another three hours to get to the village, so there was no point in using them yet.

He stepped away from her, and proceeded to strap his own shoulder guards on, attaching his blade to his back. He looked around, nodding when he saw that most of the men who would be accompanying him were ready to go. Reno was outside the room on the landing pad, the transport helicopter they would be using in the middle of the training yard for the Academy. Cloud smirked as he watched Reno checking it over, shaking his head and turning back to the deeper parts of the room. He walked over to the project he had started when he got back from Nibelheim, his smirk turning into a smile.

The motorcycle gleamed black and gold in the wan light from above, and he took a moment to admire it. He had been working on it since getting back from Nibelheim, slowly gathering the parts that he needed, ordering the ones that he couldn't get through ShinRa. When he was finished with it, it would have a special compartment, with sheaths for every blade from the one on his back, that would spring open at a touch of a button. He couldn't stand riding in trucks or in anything moving. If he wasn't driving, he always got motion sickness, something that not even the mako or Jenova could cure.

He was straddling the bike when the room went silent, and a commanding presence washed over him. He glanced up, knowing what he would see. Sephiroth strode across the room, wearing his casual attire of a dress shirt and pants. Cloud was the only 1st going on this particular trip.

The General stopped by the bike, as Cloud continued to check it over.

"I don't want you to go," Sephiroth said quietly, and Cloud smiled slightly, hearing the concerned tone in the mans calm voice. He glanced up, eyes sparkling.

"Is this the General speaking, or my lover?" he asked, his smile widening when Sephiroth blushed slightly, looking away.

"A little bit of both, actually," he admitted, looking back and making sure to meet Cloud's eyes squarely. The look said enough between the two of them. Sephiroth was worried about Cloud on a personal level, but not really worried on a professional level. Cloud was one of the best, had Jenova and Jaz by his side, and 20 plus trained troops at his back. The knowledge that he wouldn't come back never crossed Sephiroth's mind, because he knew that even if no one else came back, Cloud would. Sephiroth just…he couldn't fathom what would happen to his mind, or any of the others in their Elite group. Even Genesis, who hadn't spoken to Cloud in the two months since he revealed his Jenova form, was pacing and anxious up in the apartment. Angeal, Zack, and Vincent were doing a whirlwind cleaning spree at their house, trying to keep their minds occupied. No one could explain it, even to themselves, but there was something _wrong_ about this mission. They all knew it, even Cloud. The blonde smiled gently, reaching out a hand and grabbing Sephiroth's, pulling his lover down onto the bike in front of him.

Sephiroth tried to stay in his General mode, but when Cloud began nuzzling his neck and cheek, stroking his sword callused hands over his shoulders, back and chest, he gave him. Melting against his gorgeous blonde boyfriend, he let his eyes close as Cloud's touch chased away his misgivings. Cloud could always do this to him, the only one out of their various lovers that could take away his stoic persona even in front of his own SOLDIER's. He relaxed, and let all his worries fade away under the gentle touch of his only true love. Not even Genesis, who was his first in bed, had ever made him, the great General Sephiroth, feel safe. But here, now, in his arms, even knowing that Cloud was going off to command a mission that they all knew was wrong, he still felt safe. Nothing fazed him while in his blonde's arms. That was tested when Tseng, head of the Turks walked up to them, Reno behind him. He lazily opened his eyes, regarding his equal, at least politically, with relaxed pleasure.

"We have a problem, Sephiroth," Tseng said, crossing his arms over his chest with a frown when both Cloud and Sephiroth only smirked slightly.

"What would that be, Tseng?" Cloud asked quietly, his hands never ceasing the continuous loop over his General's upper body. The Turk glanced at him, then at Sephiroth, before sighing. Sephiroth finally felt a bit of anxiety when the Commander let his weariness be shown, when he rubbed his temples.

"There's a change in the mission," came the quiet answer, and it made both SOLDIER's tense slightly, eyes sharpening.

"We received new intel about the rebels your going after, Cloud," Tseng continued, lowering his hand from his face and meeting the slightly red eyes steadily. "They have taken hostages."

"Who are the hostages?" Sephiroth asked, his voice as chilly as a Nibelheim winter.

"The SOLDIER's that were sent before you. They were only supposed to stay a safe distance away from the camp and wait for the reinforcements, but they decided to take matters into their own hands. The rebels will kill them if their camp is attacked." Cloud snorted.

"They'll kill them anyway, just because their from ShinRa," he said scathingly, the other men nodding their agreement. An evil light made the red in his eyes glow brightly for a moment, before fading. He pulled out his cell phone, ignoring the curious looks from those around him, and entered a number he knew by heart. He waited a moment while it rang, a small, indulgent smile on his face. Someone picked up, and they raised their eyebrow in surprise.

"Hey 'Geal? How would you and Zack like to go on a mission with me and Seph?" he asked, his smirk widening when silence greeted him from the other end.

"Why?" Angeal asked simply, never one to complicate things with a lot of words.

"The rebels have taken our SOLDIER's as hostage. They'll kill them anyway, so I figured we'd go in there with a show of force. I think that ShinRa's top 1st's would make quite an impression, don't ya?" he asked, chuckling softly when Sephiroth nearly leapt off his bike, sprinting across the room to the stairs, no doubt going to get Masamune.

"Give us a half hour. We'll be there," Angeal said, hanging up as soon as he was done speaking. Cloud closed his phone, and tucked it back into his pocket. He adjusted the goggles that were nestled among his blonde spikes, giving Tseng and Reno cold looks. They were staring at him as though he had gone insane.

"There's no need for more people to die," he drawled, leaning back on the bike. Reno smirked, shaking his head.

"You're all insane, yo," Reno muttered.

"Does this mean we don't have to go on the mission?" someone spoke up from behind them, and the three turned. Captain John Piston stood behind them, saluting, though he kept his eyes steady on Cloud. After a moments thought, Cloud nodded. With all the "legendary" 1st's going – Cloud and Zack had earned a reputation ranking up there with the General's – there would be no need for the regular troops to go.

"Your dismissed, Captain. Say hi to Amelia for me," he said, nodding when John nodded, saluted again, and turned on his heel to walk back to the troops. John was a 2nd Class Captain, and the two of them usually worked together on missions. This wasn't the first time that Cloud would dismiss him, and it wouldn't be the last. Like Sephiroth, Cloud didn't like putting men in danger if he could take care of it himself. Besides, he was a helluva lot harder to kill.

"The President won't like the fact that you've taken over the mission," Tseng said coldly, and Cloud turned his attention back to him. He returned the glacial look with his own, smirking slightly.

"Ah Tseng, but think of it, will ya?" he purred, grinning as Sephiroth walked back into the room, still buckling his long leather coat. "The Elite of the 1st's go in, kick ass, retrieve our hostages, and take care of the rebels, while the rumor gets spread that the leader of the mission refused to let his men accompany him, so they wouldn't unnecessarily risk their lives. Think of the good will towards ShinRa this mission will generate."

Tseng raised a single eyebrow skeptically. "So whose going to start this particular rumor of good will?" Cloud's grin turned into a cocky smirk, and he tilted his head to the side as Sephiroth finally walked up to him, Masamune in its black leather sheath in his hand.

"Why darlin," he drawled, raising his own eyebrow. "Your department will, of course." Tseng watched him for a moment, studying him, before an admiring light entered his eyes. He shook his head, and laughed softly.

"You would have made one hell of a Turk, Cloud," the Commander admitted, grinning knowingly when Sephiroth growled, putting a possessive hand on Cloud's shoulder. The blonde only smirked.

"I know."

**lxlxlxlxl**

The five men stood on the top of a hill, looking down at the village below.

"They don't seem to upset about having rebels take over," Genesis muttered slightly. Cloud glanced at him, before training his eyes back down on the scene below. With their enhanced vision, it was easy to see the 2nd's that were tied to a large pole in the middle of town, surrounded by logs and kindling. Cloud would have felt sick at the sight, if he wasn't already sick from what Jenova was whispering into his mind.

_Oh just think, my blade Master,_ she whispered again, even as he clenched his teeth tight, eyes flashing in his anger. _Nice and crispy. They would make a good meal for us._

_You don't eat your fellow humans, Jenova,_ Cloud snarled at her, and she giggled cruelly.

_You're a pussy Cloud. You have a tender heart, and that is exactly why you let that man come with us, even after what he did. _Cloud said nothing in return, but glanced at Genesis again, where he was staring down into the buildings with narrowed eyes. The truth was, he missed Genesis. He missed the red heads fiery personality, his unique way of looking at things. The way their bodies fit perfectly together…

"…Cloud?" his name was spoken next to him, and he looked over at Sephiroth, raising an eyebrow in question.

"We need to go," the General said, and Cloud nodded. He started walking down the incline, and with every step, Jenova sunk deeper into his mind. He grew cold, calculating as he looked everywhere, not even seeing any signs of sentries posted. Snorting, he made it to the village with Jaz at his side, as the rest of the men melted off into the darkness. He strode right into the village, cringing in disgust when several people staggered past him, reeking of alcohol. He was actually at the SOLDIER's, and untying them, before anyone even thought to call him on it.

"Hey! What're ya doin?" a male voice called, and he calmly snapped the last piece of rope, ignoring the shouted words. He jumped down from the wood, and led the men off their perch one by one. He waited, arm crossed as the men, with fearful glances all around them, shot out of the town like bullets. He ignored the awe filled whispers of, "That's Cloud Strife" and "Is he the only one here?" and others like it. He waited until he felt the presence of his lovers on the towns walls, as they settled into position. Now, he would only have to give the command, and all four of them would attack. He turned to the townsfolk, and summoned a blistering rage that he didn't feel. Jenova purred in anticipation.

"What the hell do you people think your doing?" he roared out into the crowd, glad to see some people flinch, and avert their eyes in shame. "You were going to burn ShinRa's SOLDIER's, MY SOLDIER's, and hope to get away with it? I give you folk one chance. Give up the rebels, and you won't be slaughtered." Someone snickered from behind him, and he turned, raising an eyebrow when a woman walked out of the throng of people, with three armed guards at her back.

"I know all about you, Cloud Strife, from Nibelheim," she said coldly, and Cloud couldn't help the slither of fear that went up his spine. "I know all about your mother, and your abusive father. I know about your boyfriends, your wolves. I know that you mother lives just over these mountains, and she's by herself, with only the two wolves to keep her company." The woman smirked broadly, but she didn't know what was going on in Cloud's head. Jenova was livid. The alien woman had adopted Cloud's mother as her own, and had even convinced Elaine to teach her how to cook, even if it was through Cloud. In the week that his mother had been at their new house, she had talked more with the blade Lady then her own son. Cloud was trying to tell her that the woman hadn't made any actual threats yet, but she wasn't listening. Cloud wasn't trying very hard though. He knew where the woman was going with this.

"I have people on their way right now. If they lose radio contact with me, then they will kill your mother and her wolves on sight," she said smugly. Jaz growled softly from next to him, and he set a hand on her head, as his wings shimmered into existence, his eyes blazing red.

"You fucked with the wrong person, bitch," he hissed, but it wasn't his voice. It was deeper, and distinctly female. For the second time, Cloud had let emotions over rule logic, and Jenova had been quick to take control. She was beyond pissed at this point. It didn't help that her protectiveness of his mother was equally as large as his, and now they were combined. And this woman, had just threatened their mother.

"Cloud," someone whispered from the shadows, and she looked to the left, grinning wickedly when Sephiroth appeared from the darkness. People gasped and moved swiftly to make a path for him to walk, Masamune glinting in the street lights. The other side gasped, and she looked over her shoulder to see Genesis walking out from the opposite side. Behind the woman, people started screaming in terror, when they realized that all the top SOLDIER's of ShinRa were in their town. To utterly destroy them. She turned back to Sephiroth, and purred softly, admiring his lean body.

"Mmm…not Cloud sweetheart, though you couldn't tell the difference if you were fucking this body," she giggled, and Sephiroth's eyes widened, before closing down completely.

"Jenova, I ask you to release Cloud," he said commandingly, and she smirked at him.

"Fuck off. If he didn't let me take control, then I wouldn't be here. So either help me, or get out of my fucking way," she snarled, satisfaction filling them both when Sephiroth frowned, turning to face the woman.

"What are you?" she whispered, her icy green eyes wide as she took in his form. Jenova smiled, closing her eyes as she spread her wings as far as they could go, tilting her head up to the heavens as she breathed deeply of the chill spring air.

_Don't forget our battle, Jenova,_ Cloud spoke from their shared minds, and she sighed, opening her eyes. With a snarl she dashed forward, grabbing the radio out of the woman's hands. Their eyes went wide in disbelief at the smug smirk on her face, and in an eerie combination of both their voices, they started screaming at her.

"What did you do? WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM!?" they screamed, shaking her violently. Cloud slipped back into the forefront as fear screamed inside him, allowing him to take control. Jenova didn't know how to deal with this level of terror. The woman continued to smirk, though she couldn't hide how scared she was.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me," she hissed, starting to laugh. "Your mother will be dead, and you'll get to live with the knowledge that she died because you chose to work for ShinRa." Cloud stared at her in shocked silence for a moment, before something inside him snapped, and everything screaming into a black pit of rage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Um. Don't kill me. :)**

* * *

Cloud snapped back to himself, on his knees in a puddle of bloody mud, having the time to blink once, and then watch as Jaz bit the head clean off the leader of the rebels not a foot in front of him. Warm blood splattered across his face, as his mind swirled in confusion. What had happened? He could remember walking into the village, and then nothing until now.

He staggered to his feet, hazy eyes taking in the carnage that surrounded him. The smell of blood was heavy in the air, and for a moment, he thought he was tasting the air on his tongue. He raised his left hand to wipe a piece of something off his cheek, his arm stopping in mid-motion when he saw what was in his hand. An arm was there, flesh clinging raggedly to the white, exposed bone where it had been ripped off a body. Bile rose in his throat, as maniacal, womanly laughter echoed in his head, as he saw the perfect chunk of flesh that was missing. He dropped the arm, the world spinning around him as he fell back to the ground on his hands and knees, retching until white spots danced in his vision. The entire time, Jenova was berating him.

_You pussy,_ she said scathingly. _You can't even stand a little bit of flesh you weakling. I can't believe that I attached myself to you. At least Vincent and the asshole inside him have some sort of backbone. You don't deserve the title of Master, you stupid, ignorant little boy._

Cloud closed his eyes tightly as everything inside him shut down. His frantic heartbeat gave one little flip, then settled into a calm, even rhythm. His heaving stopped completely, and he spat once onto the ground, wiping his face with a muddy, red hand, his eyes coldly staring at the partially eaten arm below him, and the chunk of flesh that had come back up. He examined it emotionlessly, before shoving himself back to his feet. He forced himself to stand steadily and ignore the cackling alien in his head, even as the world swam around him again, letting his eyes wander around the village square. Jaz walked up, and stood as a silent, watchful sentinel at his side, still in battle mode.

Everyone was dead that he could see. None of them bore marks that would have been made with a blade. Instead, they looked at though they had been ripped apart by a wild animal. Jenova purred approvingly in his mind, but he ignored her as he started walking. He didn't see any of the men he had come with, either dead or alive, so he knew they were somewhere. The foremost thought on his mind, was finding out what happened. He almost lost it again, when he came across a small child, lying partially underneath the mangled remains of a female, no more then 5 years of age. The little boy was still alive, but barely. His throat had been ripped out, but the big vein in his neck hadn't been touched, so he was bleeding out slowly. Cloud stood completely still, as the boy stared up at him with the widest, most terror filled eyes the 1st had ever seen.

"Don't hurt…me anymore, mister," the boy whispered haltingly, as Cloud watched what was left of the boys color fade into ash. "I'll be good, I swear…" Then the kid took one sharp, rattling breath, his eyes filling with wonder the moment before they became void of life. Cloud could only stare, rooted to the spot as guilt, remorse, and shame filled him. He finally raised his hands slightly, looking down at them, and finally seeing the shards of skin and muscle that had coagulated underneath his fingernails. He had been the one to cause all of this, even if he didn't remember doing it.

"Jenova," he whispered brokenly, his entire frame beginning to shake. "What did you do? What did you make _me_ do?" Her words, when they came a moment later, were filled with venomous satisfaction.

_I did what you could not, boy. I showed these people that you do not fuck with SOLDIER's. _Cloud didn't, _couldn't_ reply, his hands slowly clenching into fists, until his own blood mixed with that on his hands.

He was getting vague flashes of memory from Jenova, and he remembered clearly the blinding need to simply _destroy_, that had come over him. "Even if it was you controlling me," he whispered, looking around and finally noticing the flames that were growing closer from the other side of town. "I still…I wanted…oh Gaia." His voice broke, and with an effort, he managed to pull himself together, piece by piece. What was done, was done, and even repeating that to himself as he walked closer to the flames, couldn't quiet the piece of him that was screaming in agony. He stopped suddenly, eyes going wide and snapping to the mountains that rose against the midnight black sky. He remembered…

"_It doesn't matter what you do to me," she hissed, starting to laugh. "Your mother will be dead, and you'll get to live with the knowledge that she died because you chose to work for ShinRa."_

"Oh fuck…" he whispered, and grabbed Jenova harshly with his mind, forcing her to bond with him against her will, and his wings exploded from his back in a shower of white feathers and pain. He ignored the new sensations, making sure that the sword was still at his back before throwing himself into the air, Jaz easily keeping up with him as she streaked over the ground. He didn't care that he didn't know where anyone else was, or that he had just destroyed an entire village bare handed. That piece of him that had been screaming, was now roaring with panic, and he had a utterly cold, clear thought. If anything was wrong with his mother, anything that he had done in the village behind him, he would never regret.

**lxlxlxlxl**

Four heads snapped to attention, as an agonized scream echoed through their minds. Glowing eyes were trained on the far side of the mountain, and three blue pairs blinked, startled, when the emotions were cut off. Cloud couldn't shut out all of them though.

Sephiroth fell to his knees, groaning in pain as his eyes squeezed tightly shut, holding the sides of his head with bloodless fingers. He couldn't tell if it was Cloud or Jenova who was broadcasting the utter heartbreak and mindless rage, and he didn't care. He cracked open one eye, and helplessly reached out a hand towards the mountains, tears falling down his pale cheeks in shared pain.

He knew what had happened.

"Cloud…" he whispered, and for the first time in his life, the great General Sephiroth passed out.

**lxlxlxlxl**

He didn't know how long he had been kneeling in the snow, his mothers burnt and bloody hand cradled in his lap. His eyes were sightless and staring, as he absently stroked a finger over the perfectly manicured fingernails, over and over again. Her body was sprawled in an ungainly heap in front of him, the fire of the house just now starting to die down to glowing embers. Somehow, the hand that he held was the only part of her to escape the raging fire that had been going when he first arrived. He had pulled her out, after noticing absently the two wolves that were riddled with bullets in front of the house. She had been dead already, from two perfectly placed shots, that could still be seen on her blackened body. A perfect circle was right between her eyes, and directly over her heart. He knew that if he had the guts to turn her over, it would reveal wider holes where the bullets had exited.

Jaz was at his side, still wearing all her armor, with her head resting gently on the still sides of her sisters. She had been the one to keep the curious town folk away. Even Tifa, his childhood friend, hadn't dared get past an armored wolf to try and speak to Cloud. So there he sat, through the rest of the longest night in his memory, stroking his mothers hand and not thinking a damn thing. He knew he should be, but not even Jenova was saying, or feeling anything. For once, he was alone in his mind, and he couldn't even enjoy it. A type of numb blanket had been thrown over his soul, and he was glad. He knew he should call Sephiroth or one of the others, but every time the thought entered his mind, it slipped away with a small shrug. He knew he was going to get hell for the village when he finally made it back to Midgar, and all that earned was a small, bitter laugh.

It wasn't until he heard helicopter blades that he blinked, and looked up. Absently, he noticed the faint blush of pink that stained the mountains, an impending sign of dawn, but his attention was solely focused on the sleek black machine that was getting closer. He watched with no expression on his face or in his eyes as it landed, and wasn't surprised to see Sephiroth jump off quickly, running towards him. He smiled slightly up at his love, before turning his head back down to looked at what remained of his mother.

"They killed her," he said tonelessly, not reacting at all when Sephiroth enfolded him in a warm embrace.

"Yes, I know," Sephiroth whispered, not knowing what else to say. He refused to give Cloud the assurances and platitudes that he gave other soldiers when they lost someone. So he said the only thing he could think of, the only promise he could give.

"We will destroy those who did this, Cloud. I swear."

"Ah…" Cloud said quietly, his lips curling slightly in a condescending way. "But I already did that, didn't I? And look at what it got me. She died anyway." He set her hand down on her chest, and rose, not caring that he knocked Sephiroth backwards when he did. He trained his dead eyes on the mayor, who was standing in the forefront of the crowd that had gathered again. He walked swiftly over to the balding man, pinning him to the spot with steely eyes.

"You will give her a proper burial," he said calmly, but his voice was hard, and his look booked no argument. The man swallowed hard, eyes wide in fear at the teenager that stood in front of him, looking at him with eyes that were bright, and dark at the same time. The darkness lurked deep in his sapphire eyes, a darkness that told of a boy that had seen to much, experienced to much for someone his age. He swallowed again as Cloud was getting ready to walk away, and found his voice.

"Your not going to stay for the funeral?" he asked, and fought hard against himself not to flinch away when Cloud stopped, turning his head to the side slightly.

"She's dead. She won't care if I'm here for the funeral or not. Send me the bill," he said harshly, and the mayor, plus a few other people, flinched back from the cold, unfeeling tone. Other muttered indignantly at the callousness of his attitude. How could he explain his mothers request to him all those years ago?

"_Sweetheart, I want ya ta promise me sometin'," his mother told him, kneeling in front of his gangly, awkward body of 10. Her ocean blue eyes were deadly serious, and he returned it with solemnity. "If I die, ya not ta stay for ma funeral? Got it? Yo'r ta leave, and neva come back. Promise."_

"_I promise mum," he whispered. She had known of all the problems he had with the town folk, with his mother labeled a murderer, and no one knowing why she had killed her husband. He had no friends, except Tifa, and she usually only liked to get him into trouble. She didn't want him to be in the town that he hated for any longer then he had to be. Even if it meant not staying for her burial._

Cloud walked over to the helicopter, ignoring the clearly heard whispers, and whistled loudly. He didn't show any outwards reaction when the memory of his mother teaching him how to whistle like that flashed through his mind, but inside, some of his calm crumbled, and started to wail in his mind, sounding exactly like a lost, terrified child. Jaz jumped in, and the other four men piled in after her. Cloud automatically started stripped off her head armor and clawed boots, knowing she would be more comfortable in the flying vehicle without them, and needing something to do, or the numb shell he had fallen into would start to crumble even more. Once her head, neck, and feet were uncovered, she lay on the floor in front of the row of seats, staring at the black wall morosely. It wasn't until she looked at him, her canine face so full of regret and soul deep pain, that he started to lose it. He knelt next to her head, and wrapped his arms around her neck, closing his eyes and burying his face in the thick fur of her neck.

The tears came slowly at first, then more rapidly as the dam started to burst, his body seeming to shrink and fold into itself with the onset of his sorrow. The strong, confident warrior was gone, leaving in its wake a seventeen year old boy, whose every decision had been based on his love and admiration of his mother. Now she was gone, the woman he had looked up to his entire life, who had killed her own husband when she had come home from work to find him abusing her six year old son, who had stood behind him proudly with any decision he had made. There was an emptiness in his heart and soul now, and not even Sephiroth, who embraced him warmly and silently from behind, or Jaz, as she lay there patiently, sharing in his grief, could hope to fill it. Even as the rest of his lovers gathered around him, silently showing their support, he had never felt more alone in his life.

_They will never know what it is like,_ Jenova whispered in his mind, and he ruthlessly shoved her out of her mind, giving himself over to the scalding tears and gentle embraces. The seed had been sown though, and Jenova laughed sadistically to herself as she drew solely back into the blade, listening to Cloud's subconscious as it warred with the part of him that tried to say that yes, they will understand. In his grief over his mother, the darker part won. She watched in anticipation as the darkness grew, and started whispering damning, mutinous things to him about his men. _Soon,_ she thought to herself, licking her lips as her eyes glowed with ruthless plotting. _Soon, he will turn to no one but me. He will be mine, and I will live again. Whatever it takes._


End file.
